Vendors at Kona Pier

[Therese S.]

Does anyone know if there are vendors selling tours at the Kona Pier?  

We plan to be ready to disembark as soon as the scheduled dock time of 7am before any of the Princess excursion tours.  We are hoping to get tickets on the Body Glove snorkel excursion that leaves directly from the pier with a check time of 7:30 could push out to 7:45 leaves at 8am.  If things don’t the way I hope, we need a backup plan and hoping there’s snorkel tours being sold right at the Pier

[mcmarya]

Cruises had not resumed when we were there so I don't know about other vendors selling tours there but there are other options for shore snorkeling if you cannot snag one.  If all else fails, you can take the Kona Trolley to Kahalu'u Beach park which is the next to the last stop of the trolley route.  It runs every hour and is free.  If you do a search, you can see the schedule and route map.    Kahalu'u can get crowded so better to be there early.  There are changing rooms and rinsing showers as well as lifeguards.  They even give out reef safe sunscreen.  The bay is somewhat sheltered and not terribly deep so a good place to go if the seas are not super calm.  We visited this spot 3 times when in Hawaii in December and really enjoyed the snorkeling there. We saw turtles and all kinds of fish in great numbers. There are lots of other places to snorkel on the Big Island, but this is the closest good snorkeling to the port in Kailua Kona.

 

If you have time left after your tour, you can also use the beach at the Courtyard King K which is right next to the tender pier.  There is a changing/rest room on the pier and all beaches in Hawaii are public.  I saw quite a few fish just swimming off the beach.  And, if the ocean is calm, you can actually snorkel/swim right in Kailua bay.

 

 

[teamwanderer]

On 9/12/2022 at 1:36 PM, mcmarya said:

Cruises had not resumed when we were there so I don't know about other vendors selling tours there but there are other options for shore snorkeling if you cannot snag one.  If all else fails, you can take the Kona Trolley to Kahalu'u Beach park which is the next to the last stop of the trolley route.  It runs every hour and is free.  If you do a search, you can see the schedule and route map.    Kahalu'u can get crowded so better to be there early.  There are changing rooms and rinsing showers as well as lifeguards.  They even give out reef safe sunscreen.  The bay is somewhat sheltered and not terribly deep so a good place to go if the seas are not super calm.  We visited this spot 3 times when in Hawaii in December and really enjoyed the snorkeling there. We saw turtles and all kinds of fish in great numbers. There are lots of other places to snorkel on the Big Island, but this is the closest good snorkeling to the port in Kailua Kona.

 

If you have time left after your tour, you can also use the beach at the Courtyard King K which is right next to the tender pier.  There is a changing/rest room on the pier and all beaches in Hawaii are public.  I saw quite a few fish just swimming off the beach.  And, if the ocean is calm, you can actually snorkel/swim right in Kailua bay.

 

 

Mcmarya,  saw this post and info hoping you could also inform if Kahalu'u has Snorkel Gear to use and or rent?  We will be there on Dec 7, 2022.  Great information.

 

[mcmarya]

Sorry, just got back from a cruise.  I did not see snorkel gear rentals at Kahalu'u.  There were some at the beach near the port.  Hope you had a good cruise.